Not sure if this has been on here before but I was listening to the Archie Bell & The Drells "Tighten Up" LP last night (a few versions of this I think, mine is the SC8181 with green/blue label on Atlantic) and I know the superb "A Thousand Wonders" was also on the B side of Spanish issue of their Tighten Up 45.

I always thought this LP track was just a different version by TSU Toronados (their original issue on Ovide has different tempo / backing and clearly changes hands for a whole lot more!), but wanted to find out more.

The LP notes quote: "When we record Archie Bell & the Drells in Houston we back them with the city's Number One Soul Band, the TSU Toronados. The Drells and the Toronados together have a thing going that is just too much". Goes on to say..."When we are in San Antionio we back the boys with Sunny and the Sunliners, another fine swing band".

Anyway, I was searching for more info on this and found an interesting article /website whilst trying to learn more and thought someone other than me might also be interested:

https://solidhitsoul.com/tsutoronados.html

Cheers, Steve.

That is Greg Tormo's website. He has a few other articles on there worth reading, just go to the root of the domain.

Been written about loads of times in the past but just in case u don't know this .........

Archie Bell "Tighten Up" 45 was initially put out with this cut as the B side. A radio DJ flipped it over (weeks after the 45 had been sent out I seem to recall) & the track took off. Soon, other radio jocks in different cities were playing it & the song became a big hit.

Only trouble was ........ by then ........ Archie had been called up & was overseas serving his country. Atlantic needed an album to exploit the success of 45 & not enough AB&Dr cuts were in the Ovide cupboard. So they assembled various Ovide guys & a few extra AB&Dr's tracks were made. These were sent off to Atlantic & the LP was released.

Meanwhile Archie was trying to get leave to get back to the US to promote his record -- no way were the military cooperating.

Not being in the US to promote his hit, loads of fake Archies went on the road & made money performing the song.

Archie even got to hear (with his army buddies) "Tighten Up" on AFN radio & told them "Hey, that's me" .. of course it is they said, not believing him !!!

Eventually Atlantic pulled some strings & he was able to get back to New York / Philly to cut some new stuff for follow-up 45's. These were released & a few more were hits (3 or 4). But by the time he got out of the services, he had lost loads of 'maximum earning' time and the fact that the 'real' AB&Dr's hadn't been able to tour to promote their hits meant they never really were able to cash in on their early success.

The group did last for many years, had loads more hits & got to establish themselves as a credible 'live act' but would have been much bigger if they could have 'gotten out there' playing major US venues many months earlier.

Edited March 22, 201213 yr by Roburt

The original flip of 'Tighten Up" was "Dog Eat Dog" on both Ovide and Atlantic. The Atlantic 45 with "Tighten Up Part II" was released around a month after the original issue, so the radio success of Tighten Up was pretty rapid.

"A Thousand Wonders" was only ever a US 45 by The TSU Toronadoes.

The original flip of 'Tighten Up" was "Dog Eat Dog" on both Ovide and Atlantic. The Atlantic 45 with "Tighten Up Part II" was released around a month after the original issue, so the radio success of Tighten Up was pretty rapid.

"A Thousand Wonders" was only ever a US 45 by The TSU Toronadoes.

Thanks for the info so far. I've seen a few of the Spanish issues of the Tighten Up 45 which have "A Thousand Wonders" on the flip (ie the TSU Toronados version that's on the Tighten Up LP) and same pic sleeve design as the LP, which I guess is partly why that particular 45 can fetch circa twice the amount the LP goes for as it's maybe rarer and I guess more desirable for DJing with and for collectors.

Without going off topic too much, and with reference to the notes on the LP which I quoted, does anyone know which tracks (on that LP or otherwise) were recorded with Sunny & The Sunliners?...I only have one 45 of theirs "If I could see you now", which I think is great, but just curious.

Thanks, Steve.

Atlantic licensed Archie Bell's "Tighten Up" around Xmas 1967. They pressed up promo 45's with "Dog Eat Dog" as the A side in early January.

These were sent out to US radio stations in mid & late January. The first 'issue' version of the 45 was in the shops / with magazine reviewers in the first week of February 1968.

The 45 "Tighten Up" entered the US Billboard Top 100 chart (at No. 43) on 6th April 1968.

So it took around 3 months for the Atlantic 45 to make the national charts.

See the Billboard 6th April 68 Soul Chart below (with insert of 45 review from same mag early Feb 68)........

Edited March 22, 201213 yr by Roburt

Roburt, or anyone, can you tell me how to cut text like that from an article? For instance if I wanted to cut an advert from the middle of the page of one of the archived Billboard magazines? Left click only brings up a hand symbol; right click offers nothing really.

Roburt, or anyone, can you tell me how to cut text like that from an article? For instance if I wanted to cut an advert from the middle of the page of one of the archived Billboard magazines? Left click only brings up a hand symbol; right click offers nothing really.

If you're using a PC: click the key marked "PrtSc" on your keyboard (short for PRINT SCREEN). Nothing seems to happen, but a copy of the entire screen has been saved. Then open an image editor, click paste and there you go!

Yep, that's how I do it, exactly as Sebastion says.

It was the way I got a copy of this ad for a show in Florida on 12th October 1969.

By then Archie was out of the military & back in the USA ...............

Thanks but am using a mac! I'll find out what the equivalent of print screen is, thanks.

Thanks but am using a mac! I'll find out what the equivalent of print screen is, thanks.

This should work:

Hold down Apple key + Shift + 4 then release all keys.

Now, You will see the mouse cursor will change to +

You can start to drag your mouse to select the portion you wish to capture.

Once finished, you will see a picture file at your desktop.

The Mac has a fantastic utility called Grab. It enables you to select any photo or piece of text and just make a copy of it. Didn't even realise I had it!

This should work:

Hold down Apple key + Shift + 4 then release all keys.

Now, You will see the mouse cursor will change to +

You can start to drag your mouse to select the portion you wish to capture.

Once finished, you will see a picture file at your desktop.

Just out of interest - what IS the Apple key?

I'm glad me starting this thread had some use anyway

...Any more interesting stuff on TSU Toronados / Archie Bell & Drells?... before Chalky moves this to mag/tech

I'm glad me starting this thread had some use anyway

...Any more interesting stuff on TSU Toronados / Archie Bell & Drells?... before Chalky moves this to mag/tech

Sorry about that.

I saw Archie Bell & The Drells at Wigan, July 77. They were setting up while Richard Searling was doing his spot and kept slamming heavy equipment down making all the records jump. Searling says over the mic "If anyone ever wanted to see Motny Pythons Flying Circus, it's happening right here on stage", to large round of applause. I can't remember what the band were like, I just remember him saying that, as his copy of "I'm Gone" skipped from start to finish.

Sorry about that.

I saw Archie Bell & The Drells at Wigan, July 77. They were setting up while Richard Searling was doing his spot and kept slamming heavy equipment down making all the records jump. Searling says over the mic "If anyone ever wanted to see Motny Pythons Flying Circus, it's happening right here on stage", to large round of applause. I can't remember what the band were like, I just remember him saying that, as his copy of "I'm Gone" skipped from start to finish.

Great ...thats more like it. Thanks Pete.

Interesting/informative thread-theres also an instrumental by the tornados on the lp one flight to many and also a reissue of Archie bell with here i go again on the flip

Only trouble was ........ by then ........ Archie had been called up & was overseas serving his country. Atlantic needed an album to exploit the success of 45 & not enough AB&Dr cuts were in the Ovide cupboard. So they assembled various Ovide guys & a few extra AB&Dr's tracks were made. These were sent off to Atlantic & the LP was released.

It is a pretty common story for a soul group to be unable to tour or record because one or more of the members got drafted. That mad lads footage that's floating around doesn't even have john gary williams in it...

So who's the singer on a Thousand Wonders ? Its not Sunny from the Sunliners.

So who's the singer on a Thousand Wonders ? Its not Sunny from the Sunliners.

There's a post on You Tube where a guy says it's his dad "James Edward Taylor"?

Brilliant thread - more please!

Cheers Mick, always wondered seeing Archie was away but it never dawned on me to ask.

Without listening to them side by side the singer sounded vocally like the same on the tsu toronadoes on what good am I or am I just imagining it?

Actually just answered my own post- James Taylor was in the tsu's, so its him then?

Edited March 25, 201213 yr by mark w.

Archie & the Drells in full flight ..........

The color tighten up video has to be one of the most amazing soul videos ever. They're all kids and it's just Archie at the front with the rest of the group dancing. It's so raw. The nerdy kid with coke bottle glasses on the drums is Frank Donaldson from Chicago, later of Rasputin's Stash. The white kids wearing the psychedelic outfits were his band from Chicago who were backing archie on tour, I think they were called the Boston Tea Party.

james taylor ..the` love with hope ` guy on ovide

The color tighten up video has to be one of the most amazing soul videos ever. They're all kids and it's just Archie at the front with the rest of the group dancing. It's so raw. The nerdy kid with coke bottle glasses on the drums is Frank Donaldson from Chicago, later of Rasputin's Stash. The white kids wearing the psychedelic outfits were his band from Chicago who were backing archie on tour, I think they were called the Boston Tea Party.

You mean this one Boba? Absolutely superb..thanks as I'd not seen this before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diadZbYpvGk

You mean this one Boba? Absolutely superb..thanks as I'd not seen this before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diadZbYpvGk

That's great!

this is the absolute best quality version of this video I've seen, on youtube there had only been blurry nth generation youtube rips. This is even better than the quality I have on some bootleg DVD

I've been dancing the 'Tighten Up' for years without even knowing it.

I've been dancing the 'Tighten Up' for years without even knowing it.

I think the actual tighten up dance is pretty lame, basically it involves making a motion with your arms like you're tightening a screwdriver. Apparently in Chicago they did the dance with their arms out to the side, tightening up with both hands and walking left and right.

After Frankie Crocker I am amazed at what this has inspired.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPqBfESmgek

Edited March 28, 201213 yr by Prophonics 2029

After Frankie Crocker I am amazed at what this has inspired.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPqBfESmgek

Absolutely fantastic.

So wrong, it's right.

After Frankie Crocker I am amazed at what this has inspired.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPqBfESmgek

Oh dear! lol. That did make me cringe, smile, tap my foot a bit, laugh, cringe again! I'm amazed there's not a Karaoke version with a ball bouncing across the words!

I think I prefer the Bamboos instrumental version from couple years back and the recent Al Supersonic & Teenagers "Paint yourself in the corner" (inst side) more

Oh dear! lol. That did make me cringe, smile, tap my foot a bit, laugh, cringe again!

seconded! couldn't help myself to tap along

You mean this one Boba? Absolutely superb..thanks as I'd not seen this before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diadZbYpvGk

Superb video. thanks for posting!

the backing band is amazing. They're so cool . They look kinda bored yet they're laying out one of the greatest rhythms in the history of soul music. (Archie Bell & his Drells are disappointing IMO)

Superb video. thanks for posting!

the backing band is amazing. They're so cool . They look kinda bored yet they're laying out one of the greatest rhythms in the history of soul music. (Archie Bell & his Drells are disappointing IMO)

why are the drells disappointing? archie looks like a kid and the guys jumping around dancing are so awesome

Bear in mind that the Yellow Magic Orchestra version is not intended to be taken entirely seriously. The Orchestra's main man, Ryuchi Sakamoto, was as much conceptual artist as musician, a kind of Japanese David Byrne.

The "Japanese Gentlemen Stand Up Please!" chorus gives it away as not being the most serious record he ever made. For all that it's probably funkier than The Bamboos version.

CONNECTED THREAD ..........

.... I'm just about to post a thread up about the main musician who ran the house band at Atlantic City's Club Harlem for many years.

....... The guy took several connected stage names ...........

Christopher Columbus & His Swing Crew (early 50's)

Chris Columbo & The Swinging Gentlemen (Late 50's / early 60's)

........... AND I DO BELIEVE .... in 1970 ........

Chris Columbus & the Swinging Gates !!!!

He of "Tighten Up 70" on a private label 45.

^^^^ a current Soul Sam play ^^^^^